Sales Manager

Coats Group plc; Chennai; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Coats Group plc in Chennai, India, seeks an accomplished Sales leader to head the Footwear commercial agenda, driving sustainable revenue and margin growth while building a high‑performing team through people development and commercial excellence.

You will partner with the Sales Head to deliver long‑term growth aligned with Coats’ strategic priorities and lead pricing, product‑mix optimization, forecasting, and channel development in a fast‑growing market.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in Sales, including 3+ in senior leadership roles.
• Proven strategic commercial leadership and change management experience.
• Strong communication, commercial judgment, and stakeholder influence.
• Demonstrated leadership in Commercial Excellence, customer value creation, and cross‑functional alignment.
• High integrity; capable of leading through volatile environments.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Self-motivated and Growth mindset.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute growth, profitability, and competitiveness strategies.
• Assess market, customer and competitive dynamics to identify growth opportunities.
• Deliver annual revenue, gross margin, and EBIT targets.
• Govern pricing discipline, product‑mix optimization, and margin improvement.
• Improve forecasting accuracy and business planning with Finance and Supply Chain.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key dealers.
• Develop channel capability and improve distributor/dealer productivity.
• Optimize go‑to‑market with the right value proposition for the right segment.
• Support product launches, promotions and commercial initiatives.
• Lead adoption of digital and data‑driven tools to enhance execution.

Skills

Sales leadership

Strategic planning

Commercial excellence

Stakeholder management

Forecasting & budgeting

Team development

Negotiation

Tools

CRM

Data analytics

Job description

• Lead the Footwear commercial agenda in India, driving sustainable revenue and margin growth while building a high-performing commercial team through people development and commercial excellence
• Partner with the Sales Head to deliver long-term business growth aligned with Coats’ strategic priorities.

What you will do (Key Responsibilities):

• Set and execute the strategy to ensure growth, profitability, and competitiveness.
• Assess market, customer, and competitive dynamics to identify growth opportunities and shape strategic interventions.
• Deliver annual revenue, gross margin, and EBIT targets.
• Govern pricing discipline, product‑mix optimization, and margin improvement.
• Improve forecasting accuracy and business planning in collaboration with Finance and Supply Chain.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key dealers.
• Develop channel capability and improve distributor/dealer productivity.
• Optimize go‑to‑market with the right value proposition for the right segment, ensure agility and competitiveness
• Support successful execution of product launches, promotional programs, and commercial initiatives.
• Lead adoption of digital and data‑driven tools to enhance commercial execution.

Risk, Governance & Compliance

• Manage commercial risks related to pricing, credit, contracts, and market volatility.
• Ensure compliance with commercial policies, governance standards, and the Business Code of Conduct.
• Maintain clear KPIs, dashboards, and transparent reporting.

Leadership, Talent & Organizational Development

• Build and develop a high‑performing sales team aligned with commercial Excellence standards.
• Strengthen leadership capabilities, succession pipelines, and technical sales competencies.
• Foster a culture of accountability, growth mindset, and cross‑functional collaboration.

Key Output:

• Revenue & Growth –Achievement of annual sales targets, new customer acquisition, and sustainable growth.
• Margin & Profitability –Improving gross margin, disciplined pricing, and optimized product mix.
• Customer Leadership –Strengthened key account relationships, share gains and customer retention.
• Governance & Compliance –Effective risk management, forecasting accuracy, and policy compliance.
• Talent & Capability –Strong leadership pipeline and improved team capability and performance.

Who you are (Requirements):

• 5+ years in Sales, including 3+ in senior leadership roles
• Proven strategic commercial leadership and change management experience
• Strong communication, commercial judgment, and stakeholder influence
• Demonstrated leadership in Commercial Excellence, customer value creation, and cross‑functional alignment
• High integrity; capable of leading through volatile environments
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Self‑motivated and Growth mindset

What will set you apart (Nice to Have):

• Experience in managing large scale sales network.
• Track record of closing sales and delivering on profit commitments, especially in fast growing / scale‑up environment.

Coats is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to ensuring employment practices that promote diversity across its workforce.

We are dedicated to creating a workplace that values and respects the unique perspectives, experiences, skills, and backgrounds of all employees.

We encourage talented individuals from all walks of life to join us in shaping an inclusive and forward‑thinking organisation.